Biology 201: Cellular Biology & Genetics

FULL Course Syllabus (available on Blackboard), Fall 2010

Sections: 201.001 (5627) & 201.002 (5628)

Lecture & Lab: Department of Biological Sciences

Prof. Charlotte Saylor Drop In Office Hours: Monday 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Office: Smith Hall Room 267 Wednesday 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Email: csaylor@towson.edu & Friday 11:00 am – noon
Mailbox: Smith Hall, Room 341

Class Meeting Times & Rooms

Combined Lecture: Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 9:00 am – 9:50 am, Smith 356
Lab – Section 001: Monday, 1:00 pm – 3:45 pm, Smith 313
Lab – Section 002: Wednesday, 1:00 pm – 3:45 pm, Smith 313

Books & Supplies (Required)

Textbook: Freeman, S. 2010. Biological Science, volume I, 4th edition, 2010 by Scott Freeman.
Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company.
This book was selected because it clearly and concisely describes the aspects of biology that will
be covered in BIOL201.

Lab Manual: Biology 201 Laboratory Manual by Katherine Denniston and Larry Wimmers. The lab
manual is available for purchase from Copies Plus. (cost ~$14)
Please purchase the lab manual BEFORE your first lab meeting.
Note: Copies Plus is located in Cook Library and is open Monday – Thursday from 7:30 am – 3:30 pm and on
Fridays from 7:30 am – noon. They accept cash, checks and One Cards but not credit cards.

Other: 4 x 6 index cards for lecture quizzes

Binder (1 – 1 ½ inch) for the lab manual
One NCS Test Sheet model 50/W & #2 pencils for the final exam

Important Dates Fall 2010

Last day to drop/add (no record on your transcript): Thursday, September 2 nd
Last day to withdraw (W on transcript, not calculated in GPA): Monday, November 8 th
Unit Exams: Exam dates are included in the lecture schedule (pg. 9-10) of the full syllabus
Final Exam: Monday, December 13th, 8:00 – 10:00 am in Room 356 (Bring a #2 pencil)

Course Website – BIOL I: CELL & GENETICS (BIOL201001/002)-FA10 (1104BIOL201001_002)

 If you are officially enrolled in this course, you should automatically be enrolled in the
course website hosted on Blackboard (https://bbweb.towson.edu/). To log into Blackboard and the
course website, you need your Towson User ID (your email user name) and your Towson password.
 If you are in the process of adding this class – or – were not automatically enrolled in
the course website on Blackboard, please contact me as soon as possible to gain access to the site.
 Usage of the course website on Blackboard is integral and essential to success in this
course. Exam study guides and other important materials, resources, and announcements are
posted on this site and will NOT be distributed in class.

1
 Course Objectives

The following outline summarizes the objectives for BIOL.201. It is not meant as a specific study guide and
does not include the details you need to know to accomplish the goals. The objectives summarize the "big
ideas" that we will be covering in this course.

I. Understand and apply the scientific method to solving problems

A. Recognize that the scientific method is simply a way of approaching a problem that begins with
understanding a set of basic information.
B. Learn to develop hypotheses and design controlled experiments to test them.

II. Develop a sufficient understanding of chemistry to predict properties of biological molecules.

A. Understand the structure of atoms
B. Describe how and why atoms form chemical bonds with one another.
C. Know the functional groups of organic (and biological) molecules and understand how functional
groups determine properties of the molecules of which they are a part.
D. Recognize carbohydrates, lipids, proteins (amino acids), and nucleic acids.
E. Appreciate the properties of water that make it indispensable to life.

III. Know the structure of a "typical" plant, animal, and bacterial cell.
A. Learn the names and functions of each of the structures (organelles) within a cell.
B. Describe the way in which organelles work together to accomplish cellular functions.

IV. Develop a "feel" for the principles of cellular energetics.

A. Describe the way in which the first and second laws of thermodynamics control chemical reactions,
in general, and metabolic reactions, in particular.
B. Know the basic properties of enzymes and describe their function and regulation.
C. Understand the role of enzymes in the processes of photosynthesis and in cellular energy harvesting
pathways.
D. Write an overview of the reactions that make up the metabolic pathways studied.

V. Integrate the processes of sexual reproduction (meiosis and fertilization) with the ability to predict the
frequencies of traits in the offspring.
A. Describe mitosis and meiosis, step by step.
B. Explain Mendel's laws of inheritance, gene linkage, and crossing-over.
C. Use probability to calculate the results of genetic crosses.

VI. Understand the "Central Dogma of Molecular Biology": DNA  RNA Protein.
A. Know the structure of DNA and RNA.
B. Describe the processes of DNA replication, transcription, and translation.
C. Understand the basic characteristics of the genetic code.
D. Describe mechanisms of regulation of gene expression in prokaryotes and general principles of gene
regulation in eukaryotes.

It is our* goal to help you accomplish your objectives through classroom lecture, discussion, and laboratory
experimentation. More than this, however, it is our goal to help you appreciate the elegance of biological
systems, the limits of our understanding of biology, how we have come to our current understanding through

2
experimentation, how our understanding has changed over time due to new insights and experimental results,
and how we can continue to learn more about biological systems through experimentation.

It is also our goal to help you begin to appreciate the inter-relatedness of the scientific disciplines. We cannot
study biology without an understanding of chemistry, physics, and mathematics. We hope you will begin to
see the important interdependence of these disciplines so that chemistry, physics, and math courses become
more than obstacles on the way to a degree in biology. Rather they should be viewed as important sources of
knowledge to allow you to develop a more complete understanding of biological systems.

We want you to appreciate that science is a process of investigating the natural world, not a collection of
“facts” in a textbook. This requires active participation in the process. The laboratories that you will be
participating in during this semester are going to involve testing various aspects of the models that we will be
studying in lecture. Following discussion of the models and introduction to the types of techniques and
equipment available, you will work in laboratory groups to design experiments to test aspects of the models.
We will work through the semester to help you develop the following skills:

 to work with others effectively in cooperative efforts

 to design well-controlled experiments
 to recognize the difference between data and results
 to analyze data using appropriate calculations and graphing capabilities
 to write an accurate, well-organized laboratory report
 to present your findings before an audience of your peers
*
The ”our” and “we” used throughout this section refer to the team of instructors and teaching assistants providing
instruction in Biology 201.

Americans with Disabilities Act

If you are a qualified student with a disability seeking accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities
Act, you are required to self-identify with Disability Student Services (DSS) in the Administration Building and
present a letter to me from DSS. This should be done during the first week of class.

3
Biology 201 Lecture – Tips for Success

Lecture Units (4-6 weeks each)

Class sessions will include group problem-solving, discussions about assigned readings, and standard
lectures. Many class sessions will include a quiz on the content of the previous class(es) [since the last quiz]
and/or the content of the reading for the day. Unit exams will be 50 minutes long and will include short
answer and multiple choice questions as well as some longer essay responses.

At the beginning of each unit

 Print out the provided study materials – study guides and/or worksheets
 Read through the study materials carefully and keep them in an accessible and VISIBLE location, so that
1. you do not forget about them and wait to the last minute. And, so that
2. you can make notes about information presented in class or lab related to these questions.

During the unit

 Read the assigned text sections before each class. Do not highlight every line of the text. You should be
reading for main ideas, key concepts and definitions.
 Complete any additional assignments/exercises assigned during lecture or lab.
 Take notes in class. Be an active participant in class discussion. Be willing to ask questions and
volunteer to answer questions.
 Rewrite your notes and organize them as soon as possible after each class (within 24 hours). Try to fill in
any missing pieces using the text. Study your notes before coming to the next class. If you have
questions, write them down AND ask them.
 Use the additional materials available with your text
 The questions and problems available at the end of each chapter of your text
 The Mastering Biology website

Before the exam

 Review the information presented in lecture.
 Review any pertinent material presented in lab.
 Save your study materials! The final exam is cumulative.

A Note on Study Groups

 Study groups can be a valuable resource IF they are run effectively.
 Study groups are most beneficial to those students who are active participants and come prepared
(having studied the material independently ahead of time).
 Use study groups to
o Compare notes from lecture and fill in holes in your understanding
o Ask questions of each other
o Work through study materials together
o Practice explaining concepts to each other without use of books or notes (take time to teach
each other)

This will take a lot of time, but that is what is needed to go beyond memorizing information. This approach
will help you really learn and understand information, make connections to other material, and retain those
pieces of information needed for success in your upper level biology coursework.

4
Biology 201 Lab – Tips for Success

Lab Units (2-3 weeks each)

In the first three units, your team will design and conduct experiments to answer a specific question(s)
developed from the presented unit problem (i.e. Vitamin C levels in cabbage). For these three units, you
will present your experimental design and findings to the class. In addition, students (as individuals and
later as teams) will summarize their experience and gained knowledge in the form of a lab report.
In the second half of the semester, the laboratory sessions will reinforce the lecture content through formal
presentations and analysis of pertinent issues in technology and ethics, genetics problem solving sessions
and preliminary exposure to DNA extraction and visualization techniques.
Specific guidelines for the lab reports, oral reports and activities are given in the lab manual, will be
distributed in class and/or will be posted on Blackboard.

At the beginning of each unit

 Read/skim through the ENTIRE lab unit and related appendices. This will help you understand what we
will be doing in lab each week and how the weeks of the unit connect to one another. Reading ahead
also allows you to use your lab time more effectively reducing the amount of work you need to complete
outside of lab.

Before each week’s lab

 Re-read the sections of the lab manual pertaining to that week. This time you should focus your reading
and try to understand the details of what needs to be accomplished. You may find it helpful to outline
the protocols/procedures for that week in your notebook. It is often easier to complete the lab in the
allotted time when you come to class understanding what you are trying to accomplish. Ask questions
as needed before you arrive.
 Complete any assigned reading or pre-lab activities listed in the lab manual, given orally in class, or
posted on Blackboard
 Complete any work/assignments not completed the previous week.

During lab
 Bring your lab manual, colored pencils/pens, and relevant materials from your pre-lab preparations.
 Take notes during lab discussions.
 Actively participate in your lab group and in class discussions.
 You may also want to bring a camera (stand alone or cell phone) to visually record results and methods
for preparation of your lab reports.

Additional advice
 Don’t procrastinate. This semester you will be assigned to a lab group. Make sure that you arrange to
complete your group work ahead of time. You will not have time to completely finish posters or reports
in lab.
 Communicate. Each member of your group should have a clear understanding of what their
responsibilities are and how their project component relates to the whole. It is your responsibility to let
your instructor know if there is a problem with a group member meeting their obligations. It is not your
responsibility to do another group member’s work for them.
 Enjoy yourself. Maintaining a positive attitude can only enhance your learning experience.

5
Where can you go to get help?
 Professor Saylor’s office hours & review sessions
 If the office hour and review session times do not work with your schedule, request an appointment
 Tutors are available through the Academic Achievement Center, CK 524, 410-704-2291,
http://www.towson.edu/aac/walkinschedule.html#LocationsSchedule Check this website for tutor
availability in the FCSM Tutorial Services for Science and Math Courses (located in Smith 538).
 Help with study and testing skills can be obtained at the Academic Achievement Center, CK 524
 Mastering Biology Website:
o Your textbook was packaged with a subscription to the publisher’s commercial web page.
These resources include study tools such as 3-D animations, videos, an electronic version of
the text, chapter quizzes and optional assignments designed to improve and test your
comprehension of the material.
o Each new book comes with instructions on how to use the site. If you have problems, you can
call their technical assistance, or ask one of your instructors. The web site can be found at
www.masteringbio.com. To access the page you will need to enter the password found in the
Access Kit that comes with your NEW textbook. Since this is a commercial page, please do not
distribute these codes. Please note all activities and resources associated with this page are
optional, so if you buy a used text and do not have access to the page you will not be missing
required material. If you buy a used book and still want to use this site you can purchase a
stand-alone registration for ~$35.00 at the site above.

COURSE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

1. Lectures and Attendance Policy: Attendance in lecture is not required, but it is strongly recommended.
While lecture generally follows the topics in the text, some details will be omitted and some additional
information will be added. You will get a much better sense of the conceptual emphasis of each unit from
the lecture than you can get by simply reading the text. Additionally, there will be unannounced quizzes
during the semester (see below), which will account for 1/8 of your final grade.

2. Laboratory and Attendance Policy: Attendance in the laboratory is required. Biology is a laboratory
science and it is essential to learn proper procedures for planning and carrying out experiments. You will
be working in cooperative groups to design and carry out experiment. If you are absent, you are not
fulfilling your responsibilities to your laboratory group. Coming to laboratory significantly late or leaving
early without permission will be considered an absence.

Missing lab sessions will significantly impact your grade. If one lab is missed without permission, your
final course grade may be lowered by one letter grade. If two lab periods are missed, your final course
grade may be lowered by two letter grades. If you miss three lab periods you will receive a failing grade
for this course. Permission to miss a laboratory will only be given in case of a documented emergency or
illness.

3. Excused Absences and Make-up Policy: Do not only communicate your absence over the phone, by email,
or orally. To request that an absence be excused, access the Absence Form from the left menu bar on
Blackboard. This form should be filled out before a planned absence or within 48 hours of an absence due
to illness or other emergency. It is your responsibility to provide documentation for absences (i.e. a

6
 physician’s note) after submitting the form.
 Missed Exams – If you know in advance that you will miss a scheduled exam for a legitimate and
documented reason, it is your responsibility to make arrangements for a make-up to be taken within 3
school days of the scheduled exam. If you have a family or medical emergency that causes you to
unexpectedly miss an exam, you will need to present documentation, and a make-up exam will be
scheduled within 3 school days of the scheduled exam, or later at my discretion. If you miss a
scheduled make-up exam, there will be no opportunity to reschedule the make-up.
 Missed quizzes - Frequently, there will also be quizzes given during the first 10 minutes of class. There
will be no opportunity to make up missed quizzes. Of the ~110 quiz points available this semester (~11
quizzes), only the best ten scores will be counted toward your final grade. Missed quizzes will earn 0
points. Multiple absences and repeated late arrival to class can and will negatively impact your grade.

4. Student Conduct: Free discussion, inquiry, and expression are encouraged in this class.   Classroom
behavior that interferes with either (a) the instructor's ability to conduct the class or (b) the ability of
students to benefit from the instruction is not acceptable. Examples may include routinely entering class
late or departing early; use of beepers, cellular telephones, or other electronic devices; repeatedly talking
in class without being recognized; talking while others are speaking; or arguing in a way that is perceived
as "crossing the civility line." In the event of a situation where a student legitimately needs to carry a
beeper/cellular telephone to class, prior notice and approval of the instructor is required. Classroom
behavior that is determined to be inappropriate and cannot be resolved by the student and the faculty
member may be referred for administrative or disciplinary review and the student will be barred from
attending class.

5. Academic Honesty: This course is governed by the Towson University Code of Conduct, which disallows
"all forms of dishonesty, including but not limited to cheating, plagiarizing, knowingly furnishing false
information" and "intentional disruption of teaching (http://www.towson.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs).

Plagiarism (word for word copying of material without quotation marks and source citation, or rephrased
use of information from a source without citation) and close paraphrasing (regardless of length) from any
source including the textbook and lab manual, is a form of academic dishonesty because it represents theft
of another person's idea(s) and way of expressing them.

Accordingly, any documented instance of academic dishonesty (including plagiarism) during this class
[1] will result in a grade of zero on the assignment/activity in question,
[2] may lead to a failing grade for the entire course, and
[3] will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct and Civility Education (formally the Office of
Judicial Affairs) as required by Towson University revised Student Academic Integrity Policy (effective
Fall 2002).

Report of a second violation of this policy by a student can result in suspension or expulsion from the
University.

"Asking questions is one of the fundamental keys of learning.

It is always better to ask a question than pretend you understand."

7
 - Catherine Pulsifer
GRADED ASSIGNMENTS & GRADE CALCULATION

The maximum number of points in this class is 800 as described below. Final letter grades will be determined
by the percentage of points accumulated relative to the total number of points available with the following
noted exceptions:
1. Each missed laboratory session will lower your final course grade by 10% (= 1 letter grade).
2. If you miss three (or more) laboratory sessions, you final course grade will be F regardless of your
percent average.
3. In order to earn a C or better in Biology 201, you must earn a C (70%) or better in both the lecture
and laboratory components of the course. Students earning less than 70% of the lecture or lab
points will earn no higher than a D+ as their final course grade.

Student letter grades will be assigned as follows:

A 92 - 100% B- 80 – 81.9% D 60 - 67.9%
A- 90 - 91.9% C+ 78 – 79.9% F < 60%
B+ 88 – 89.9% C 70 - 77.9%
B 82 - 87.9% D+ 68 – 69.9%

Item Points Description

Unit 300 total Exams will be a combination of multiple choice, short answer and essay questions.
Exams (100 See Excused Absence and Make up Policy section (page 6-7) for information regarding
1-3 each) absences on the day of the exam.
Final 200 total A cumulative exam on all material covered during the semester including the non-
Exam tested material for the final course lectures. The format of the exam will be modeled
after the format of the Unit exams.
Quizzes 100 total During many classes (randomly selected from all classes except those with an exam),
11 total, there will be a short quiz worth 10 points. Each quiz will test information from
10 previous classes as well as material prepared for that day’s class (i.e. assigned reading).
counted There will be 11 quizzes available during the semester. Only ten of these will be
[lowest counted toward your final grade. Your lowest quiz grade will be dropped.
score See Excused Absence and Make up Policy section (page 6-7) for information regarding
dropped] absences on the day of the quiz.
Lab 150 total Student written lab reports will be evaluated for both individual contribution and the
Written (50 each) lab group’s cohesive presentation.
Reports See Additional Information on Graded Assignments (page 11) for more information.
1-3
Lab 50 total Student oral lab reports will be evaluated for both individual contribution and the lab
Oral group’s cohesive presentation.
Report See Additional Information on Graded Assignments (page 11) for more information.

In the case of school closing or other event, the total number of course points may be reduced. In that case
your course grade will be calculated as the total number of points obtained out of the reduced number of
points available.

8
 Course Lecture Outline and Calendar
Date Lecture Subject
8/25, 8/27 Unit 1: Introduction to Biology and the Molecules of Life
Introduction to Biology (Chapter 1)
8/30, 9/1, 9/3 Water & Carbon: The Chemical Basis of Life (Chapter 2)
Introduction to Biological Molecules (intro to chapters 3 – 6)
Quiz 1
9/8, 9/10 Protein Structure and Function (Chapter 3)
Nucleic Acids and the RNA World (Chapter 4)
Quiz 2
9/13, 9/15, 9/17 Carbohydrates (Chapter 5)
Lipids (Chapter 6, Section 6.1 and 6.2)
Quiz 3
9/20, 9/22, 9/24 9/20 Exam 1, Chapters 1-6
Unit 2: Cell Structure and Function
Lipids (Cell Membranes, Chapter 6, Sections 6.3 and 6.4)
Start Cell Structure (Chapter 7)
9/27, 9/29, 10/1 Complete Cell Structure (Chapter 7)
Cell-to-Cell Interactions (Chapter 8)
Quiz 4
10/4, 10/6, 10/8 Introduction to Metabolism (Review chapter 3 & Intro to chapters 9 – 10)
Cellular Respiration and Fermentation (Chapter 9)
Quiz 5
10/11, 10/13, 10/15 Photosynthesis (Chapter 10)
Summary of Metabolism – Pathway Comparison (Chapters 9 – 10)
Quiz 6
10/18, 10/20, 10/22 10/18 Exam 2, Chapters 7-10
Unit 3: Introduction to Cell Division and Genetics
The Cell Cycle (Chapter 11)
10/25, 10/27, 10/29 Meiosis (Chapter 12)
Mendel and the Gene (Chapter 13)
Quiz 7
11/1, 11/3, 11/5 DNA and the Gene: Synthesis and Repair (Chapter 14)
Quiz 8

11/8, 11/10, 11/12 How Genes Work (Chapter 15)

Quiz 9
11/15, 11/17, 11/19 Transcription and Translations (Chapter 16)
Quiz 10
11/22 11/22 Exam 3, Chapters 11 – 15  continued on the next page
11/29, 12/1, 12/3 Final Course Material: Control of Gene Expression

9
 Control of Gene Expression in Bacteria (Chapter 17)
Control of Expression in Eukaryotes (Chp 18)
Quiz 11
12/6, 12/8 Complete Course Material
(select topics from chapters 19 & 20 may be included as time permits)
12/13 Final Exam 8:00 am – 10:00 am (Cumulative, including material covered after Exam 3)

Laboratory Outline and Schedule

Week Of Laboratory Activities
8/23 No labs this week
8/30 Plan and present ascorbic acid experiment for discussion and modification; prepare and
submit written protocol.
9/6 No labs this week
9/13 Carry out ascorbic acid experiments; analyze data using the computer; organize group effort
to prepare presentation (~10 min each)
9/20 Presentation of ascorbic acid experiments and class feedback. Plan and present osmosis
experiment for discussion and modification; prepare and submit written protocol.
9/27 Hand in ascorbic acid lab report.
Carry out osmosis and diffusion experiments, analyze data using the computer; organize
group effort to prepare presentation (15 min each).
10/4 Presentation and discussion of experimental results of osmosis and diffusion lab. Plan and
present designs for enzyme experiments for discussion and modification; prepare and submit
written protocol.
10/11 Hand in osmosis lab report.
Carry out enzyme experiments. Analyze data.
10/18 Presentation and discussion of experimental results of enzyme lab.
Assign Oral Report subjects
10/25 Hand in enzyme lab reports.
Genetics Problems
11/1 Genetics Problems

11/8 Oral Report Presentations

11/15 Genotype-to-phenotype: transformation

11/22 No labs this week

11/29 Genotype to phenotype: physical analysis of DNA

12/6 No labs this week

Additional Information on Graded Assignments

Written Lab Reports - You will be writing three laboratory reports this semester.
Reports should be formatted at follows:

10
 - Typed in a standard 12 point font like Times New Roman or Calibri
- With 1 inch margins on all sides
- And organized as follows:
 Introduction – a brief description of the phenomenon being investigated and the question(s)
 Materials and Methods – a brief description of the protocol carried out for each experiment
 Results – a concise description of the results of each experiment. This section should contain a
graphical representation of obtained data AND a written explanation of the presented results
 Discussion – interpretation and discussion of the obtained results. This section should also include
experimental problems encountered as well as suggestions for improvement and additional
experiments.
 Bibliography – Sources of information used in preparation of any section of the report.
 Contributions – The role of each student in carrying out experiments and in preparing the report
- It is expected that reports will have been spell checked before submission and proofread for
grammatical errors and misspellings not caught by your word processing program.
- An excellent guide to scientific writing entitled "A short guide to writing about Biology" by Pechenik
will be available on reserve. Chapters 1-5 and 8 should be particularly helpful.

Lab Report 1 will be prepared individually (the experiments will be conducted as a group). Each student should
submit a hard copy in lab the day it is due (you may print out this report two pages per sheet).

Lab Reports 2 and 3 will be prepared as groups with each student taking primary responsibility for one section
(or more if a group has fewer than four members). Group lab reports will be graded such that each student’s
grade is composed on an individual score (75% of the total grade) and a group score (25% of the total grade).
It is highly recommended that groups work closely together to proofread and critique each other’s work before
submitting the final report. Reports 2 and 3 will be submitted electronically through Blackboard before lab on
the day they are due.

Late lab reports will be accepted, but will receive a reduction of 25% off the final grade for each day the
report is late. Reports received after the start of lab on the day they are due will be considered late and will
receive a grade reduction of 25%.

Oral Lab Reports

Each group will work collectively on a single assigned subject. Each report will cover the biology, applications,
dangers and ethical concerns of that subject. Key components of the report include:
 Length: The oral reports should be between 20 and 25 minutes.
 Participation: All group members must participate in the presentation in roughly equal parts.
 Visual Aids: The use of visual aids is required. Overheads or PowerPoint is acceptable. Physical
demonstrations (models etc.) are also acceptable.
 Grading: The final grade will for the assignment will be based 75% on the individual effort and 25% on
the group effort.
 Topic Assignment: Topics will be assigned during the semester randomly by lottery.

11